2 years ago
On July 28, 2023, U.S. president Joe Biden made a travel to Auburn, Maine, wherever helium delivered a code astatine Auburn Manufacturing and subsequently attended a backstage fundraising gathering. Eric Brakey, the Republican legislator representing Maine, greeted Biden upon his accomplishment successful Auburn and handed him a note. In the message, helium suggested that the president should see granting clemency to the Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht.
Plea for Justice: Senator’s Push for Ulbricht’s Clemency During Biden’s Maine Tour
When Joe Biden, the 46th and sitting president of the United States, made his mode to Auburn, Maine, helium marked the archetypal statesmanlike sojourn to the municipality successful an full 110-year span. Speaking astatine the Auburn Manufacturing site, Biden proudly proclaimed his condemnation that ‘Bidenomics‘ is yielding success. “We present person much jobs than we had earlier the pandemic,” Biden explained during his visit. “People are coming disconnected the sidelines — unemployment is down and truthful is inflation.”
As Biden paid a sojourn to Auburn, the Republican legislator Eric Brakey took the accidental to personally invited the president and subsequently chronicled the lawsuit connected the societal media level X (formerly known arsenic Twitter). “Today, I met @POTUS, welcomed him to Auburn, and gave him this note,” Brakey shared. The enactment itself contained the pursuing plea:
Mr. president, invited to Auburn ME! Please see clemency for Ross Ulbricht. Life successful situation for gathering a website is cruel and antithetic punishment. Sincerely, Eric Brakey.
Ross Ulbricht is the laminitis of Silk Road, a now-defunct online darknet marketplace. In 2015, helium was sentenced to a treble beingness imprisonment without parole for assorted charges related to the website. Many supporters reason that his condemnation is unjust owed to flaws successful the investigation, trial, and sentencing. They item concerns astir misconduct by instrumentality enforcement, the disproportionate punishment compared to different akin cases, and the content that non-violent offenders merit a accidental astatine rehabilitation.
A petition beseeching the U.S. president to bestow clemency upon Ulbricht has gathered momentum since its inception, with 563,708 signatures astatine the clip of this writing. “There is simply a strong, bipartisan statement that Ross’s condemnation is unjust and that helium deserves a 2nd chance,” declares Ulbricht’s mother, Lyn Ulbricht, successful the petition letter. “Over 250 organizations, eminent individuals, and leaders person voiced their support for Ross’s clemency.”
Thomas Massie, the Republican typical from Kentucky, echoes Brakey’s sentiments connected the contented successful a connection featured connected freeross.org. “This is the top usurpation of the 8th Amendment that I americium alert of successful the United States today,” Massie stated successful his endorsement for a 2nd accidental for Ulbricht. “What Ross Ulbricht did from a machine surface does not merit 2 beingness sentences + 40 years without the accidental of parole … This is cruel and antithetic punishment … This feline should not rot successful jailhouse and dice there. He deserves a 2nd chance.”
In October 2022, Ulbricht penned a heartfelt missive to president Biden, imploring him for a 2nd accidental astatine life. “I cognize I could be—and yearn to be—a affirmative power successful the escaped world,” Ulbricht conveyed successful his plea to the president. “Please springiness maine a 2nd accidental truthful I tin beryllium that I tin beryllium an plus to my assemblage and country. If you spot acceptable to commute my sentence, I volition beryllium you my life, and I volition ne'er fto you down.” Besides Ulbricht’s idiosyncratic entreaty past year, the legislator from Maine is besides urging Biden to contemplate granting him clemency.
What bash you deliberation astir the missive the legislator from Maine gave to Biden? Share your thoughts and opinions astir this taxable successful the comments conception below.
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